Mint Chocolate Madeleines

Earlier this week i mentioned my trouble baking Madeleines, it's not that I haven't made them before but well i was out of practice and had forgotten which recipe I previously used. 

This is one of the reasons I started to blog so I would have a log of all my favourite baking recipes without having to search in cupboards and draws for that printed recipe you know you had but it's not in there now, dilemma.

Did you know? history dates the beginnings of madeleines back to the 18th century in the French town of Commercy, in the region of Lorraine.The story goes that a girl name Madeleine made them for Stanislaw Lezczynski, Duke of Lorraine, who loved them so much that he then gave some to his daughter, Marie, the wife of Louis XV. 

Their popularity grew from that point on and if we fast forward to today we know that they are now enjoyed in many countries around the world.

Madeleines are made with a genoise sponge batter which is a combination of butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and are traditionally flavoured with lemon or orange flower water however, after several attempts and becoming bored of the classic madeleine flavour (me that is, hubby was quite happy with what I deemed plain) finally this morning I decided on mint chocolate which is a favourite flavour of mine in cupcake form in fact any form, what about you?

Now i am satisfied with my madeleines alhamduillah (All praise to God) and would like you to be too inshAllah (God willing)

Mint Chocolate Madeleines

Makes: 24 - 3 inch (8 cm) madeleines.

I adapted this recipe from Joyofbaking.

Ingredients

113 grams unsalted butter

110 grams plain /all-purpose flour

20 grams unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs at room temperature

2/3 cup (133 grams) granulated white sugar

Seeds of 1 vanilla pod or 1 teaspoon halal vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon peppermint oil (depending on how strongly you want the mint flavour to come through)

Method

First, melt the butter and allow it to cool while you make the batter.

In the bowl of your electric mixer using the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugar at medium-high speed until the mixture has tripled in volume and forms a thick ribbon when the beaters are lifted (about 5 minutes). Add the vanilla and peppermint oil, beat to combine.

fold the flour mixture into the beaten eggs to lighten it. Sift the rest of the flour over the egg mixture and fold in being sure not to overmix or the batter will deflate. 

Whisk a small amount of the egg mixture into the melted butter to lighten it. Then fold in the cooled melted butter in three additions. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or several hours, until slightly firm.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F/190 degrees C/170 degrees C(fan). 

Generously butter two 12-mold madeleine pans.  Dust the molds with flour/fine semolina (maybe next time i will use cocoa powder because the fine semolina was apparent on the shell side of these petite four) and tap out the excess. 

(Make sure the pans are well greased or the madeleines will stick and be hard to remove.) 

Drop a generous tablespoonful of the batter into the center of each prepared mold, leaving the batter mounded in the center. (This will result in the classic "humped" appearance of the madeleines)

Bake the madeleines for 11 to 13 minutes, or until the centers spring back when lightly touched.  Try not overbake these cookies or they will be dry.

Remove the pans from the oven and rap each pan sharply against a countertop to release the madeleines (you can run your knife/spoon around each mold beforehand if your not confident like me)  Transfer the madeleines, smooth sides down, to wire racks to cool.

The madeleines are best served the same day but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days or frozen, well wrapped, for up to 1 month.

You can dust these with icing sugar before serving (optional).